When it comes to versatility, comfort and laid-back cool, denim can’t be beaten. Considering its universal appeal, it’s not surprising that wearing denim with more denim is a trend that’s come back into fashion. It can be tricky to pull off though, so take our advice to look hot without trying too hard.

Go for contrast

Keep the look casual and cool with denims that are visibly different, like blues with shades of grey or black. Once you’ve mastered the basic look try breaking it up with printed T-shirts and other interesting pieces.

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Stay consistent

Another option is to wear similar pieces together: dark with dark, faded with faded and washed with washed. Avoid looking matchy-matchy and add a solid colour, whether it's neutral like white or a vibrant colour, it will make your whole look more sleek.

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All items subject to availability. Prices may change.

These key pieces instantly up the romance in any living space – whether for Valentine's Day or for any other day of the year. 

1. Up your glass game

Rather than scratching around at the last minute for matching, chip-free glasses, make sure you have glassware to be proud of at the ready. This will take away a lot of last-minute stress and embarrassment you don't need, especially when you're quite possibly already filled with nerves. 

2. Set the mood

3. Serve everything in style 

4. Don't forget the couch

Now that you’ve wined and dined to your heart’s content it’s time to sit back and relax and enjoy each others’ company. Dress your couch for the occasion with textured throws and scattered cushions in sensual fabrics such as velvet and silk.

The perfect denim fit is basically a non-negotiable in the fashion world – you’d be surprised by just how much it affects your silhouette. Determining your body shape is the first step towards getting it just right.

CURVY/ HOURGLASS/ PEAR

If your hips and thighs are wider than your waist, then you have an hourglass or curvy figure. A bootcut or flared leg is particularly flattering for this body shape as the wider bottoms balance out your hips, while the snug fit around the waist flatters your curvy shape. A curvy-fit straight leg is also a great choice – it moulds to the body beautifully, accentuating the hips and waist. Give yourself some extra height with booties or heels.

PETITE

Opt for medium to high-rise jeans that sit at the narrowest part of your waist to show off your natural curves. Wide or flared legs can make your legs appear shorter, so either avoid this style or wear it with heels. A straight cut is most flattering for a petite shape, as it hugs the legs perfectly. Look for a tapered hem that ends on – or just above – your ankle. Dark-wash denim is your best bet, streamlining your frame and creating the appearance of length.

INVERTED TRIANGLE/ATHLETIC

If your shoulders are broader than your waist and hips, you fall into this category. The trick is to accentuate your bottom half to balance your silhouette. Bootcuts and boyfriend/girlfriend jeans will achieve this. Jeans with texture and details such as cargo pockets, fades and cuffs, will further emphasise your lower half.

TALL & LEAN/RECTANGULAR

Women with this body shape tend to have hips and shoulders that are the same width, with few curves and not much definition in the waist. Fortunately for you, just about every cut of denim suits this body shape. Looking to add volume to your lower half? Go for wide-leg or flared jeans with patterns and details. A skinny fit creates the illusion of curves, while low-rise to mid-waist jeans add shape to your buttocks and create a defined wasitline. Back-pocket details also draw attention to this area.

APPLE

Apple-shaped bodies carry volume around the middle. Select jeans with a little more ‘give’ in the waistline for comfort, and to avoid overspill. High-waisted jeans draw attention to the waist, so rather go for a mid-rise style, or a pair with a wide waistband. Make the most of your slim legs by wearing a straight cut or a slight bootcut to balance out your proportions. Denims in contrasting colours will add contouring to your thighs.

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Growing up in Lebowakgomo, a small township in Limpopo, and only learning English in his teens, Edgars' creator of culture and local influencer, Tsitsi Chiumya, might never have imagined a career as a comedian. But in just a few short years he’s set stages alight all over the country with his shows, raking up awards along the way. He tells Edwain Steenkamp how he got there.

Growing up, were you the funny kid? 

No, but I was definitely the naughty kid! My mom had me when she was very young, so I was raised by my grandparents who were strict but very loving. I think, with me, they had their hands full.

So comedy wasn’t something you dreamed about? 

As a kid I didn’t even know it could be a career. Living in such a small place, I had other dreams. At one stage I wanted to be an athlete more than anything. But I always knew that I wanted to live a happy life. That was something my small village taught me too: what’s most valuable in life.

What was the next major chapter of your life?

I went to study video design at Wits University. So my life nearly took a very different turn. There weren’t many kids like me on campus at that time. I felt different, but it didn’t stand in my way. In fact, I realised that somehow it allowed me to reach people.

Was it during this time that you discovered your gift of entertaining? 

Yes, that was when I started telling stories from my childhood and from where I grew up. I knew that my classmates loved the stories I told, and so I started preparing and rehearsing them in the evenings. I might have added a few embellishments here and there, but they loved the stories. It was like a whole new world opened up.

Was that when you decided on your future career path? 

Actually, it happened very slowly. I was always drawn to comedy; I remember my friends and I watching comedy shows till three in the morning. So right after university I moved to Cape Town and spent all the money I had – and also money I didn’t have – to watch every comedy show possible. From there, I started participating in any show that would have me. I eventually landed a segment on the Expresso Morning Show and added as much of my comedy into it as I could. I was travelling up and down, trying to make this all happen … getting as little as four hours sleep a night.

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How did you manage all of it? 

I honestly don’t know! I was so exhausted all the time, but it felt right. I knew it would all be worth it.

What do you think is the most important aspect of your comedy? 

I think a lot of people expect the same formula from South African comedians, that is, comedy based on the hardships of the country’s past, and the struggles we face today. You know, politically heavy content.

Do you try to stay away from that? 

I mean it enters my comedy of course. But I want to tell different stories too. Stories that everyone relates to. And for me, that's powerful comedy – the kind where the humour is universal. And I draw from some of my personal experiences.

What kind of experiences? 

I was a kid from Limpopo who could barely speak English, and then suddenly I was in a big city – there’s something about that situation everyone can relate to. Being the awkward kid, unsure of themselves and not really fitting in anywhere. Looking for acceptance, inspiration and guidance.

Speaking of inspiration, who has influenced you the most? 

More than individual people, there are moments in different people’s careers that have inspired me so much. And through these moments in many of the most legendary comedians’ careers, I have learned different techniques and styles. Drawing from that I have been able to develop my own sense of comedy.

You’re known as a smart dresser. Has this also developed over the years? 

Since I was a young boy I was aware of style. Both my grandparents were so stylish. My grandmother always dressed impeccably, and my grandfather always had the best suits. I definitely learned what style is from my family. But I was always a little shy and unsure about what looked good on me.

When did you learn to let go of that uncertainty? 

It was actually when I worked with one of the stylists at Edgars. He handed me the nicest botanical printed shirt and told me that when I go shopping, I should always look out for at least one item of clothing that’s outside my comfort zone and incorporate it into my closet. It was the best style advice I’ve ever received. To this day, that shirt is my favourite item of clothing and I take it everywhere I go.

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A post shared by Tsitsi Chiumya (@tsitsichiumya) on Oct 20, 2018 at 7:42am PDT

FUN FACTS

Favourite fashion items? 
A nice shirt, and definitely a good pair of sneakers.

Favourite food?
Pap and wors. It’s a classic.

Guilty pleasure? 
Mangoes. I can eat them any time.

How do you unwind? 
I play video games; I’m still very passionate about gaming.

Some of your favourite comedians?
Trevor Noah, Robby Collins and Kevin Hart.

Check out Tsitsi's Instagram
Photography: tsitsi.co.za, Instagram, Shutterstock

CAPE TOWN

JOBURG

DURBAN

PORT ELIZABETH

BLOEMFONTEIN

If there’s ever a time to rise to the occasion and look sharp, Valentine’s Day is surely it. Follow our grooming guidelines to look on point for your date and boost the romance quotient.

Don’t neglect your personal grooming in the midst of all your romantic V-Day planning, because no matter how well dressed you might be on the day, puffy eyes or tired-looking skin won't go unnoticed. Here’s how to look your handsome best on the big day.

KEEP IT CLEAN

Kick off the process by cleansing your face with a product that removes dirt and sebum from the skin’s surface without stripping it of essential oils. Next, exfoliate with a gentle scrub to remove dead skin cells and other debris. Exfoliating is also a vital pre-shave step as it opens your pores and lifts facial hairs away from your skin, preparing the way for a comfortable and smooth shave.

Clinique For Men Face Wash 385
ClarinsMen Exfoliating Cleanser 360
Tom Ford For Men Exfoliating Energizing Scrub 925

BE A SMOOTH OPERATOR

Keeping your facial fuzz in check is an important step in the grooming process. First, apply a thick, lotion-like shave cream to your skin to hydrate and protect it while you shave. Post shave, use a natural aftershave to calm and soothe sensitive areas. If you have a moustache or beard, treat it with a beard oil or balm to keep it soft and styled.

Kiehl’s Grooming Solutions Nourishing Beard Grooming Oil 480 
ClarinsMen Smooth Shave Foaming Gel 305
Nuxe Men Gentle Toning Lotion 245

HYDRATE AND REFRESH

Keep your face soft and supple with a nourishing moisturiser. Products enriched with hydration-boosting ingredients and antioxidants will brighten a lacklustre complexion, for a fresh, youthful face.

Clinique For Men Maximum Hydrator 610
Elemis For Men S.O.S Survival Cream 1110
Sisley Sisleÿum For Men Anti-Age Global Revitalizer 3135

TACKLE DARK CIRCLES

Use a hard-working eye cream to diminish dark circles and smooth fine lines. Look out for a product containing power ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which plumps and firms dehydrated skin, and caffeine, a natural antioxidant with a knack for minimising puffy bags and energising tired-looking complexions.

Filorga Optim-Eyes Eye Contour 885
Kiehl’s Eye Alert 270
La Mer The Lifting Eye Serum 3660

SERVICE YOUR LIPS

Dry, cracked and chapped lips are not going to encourage any romantic displays of affection. Make sure your lips are smooth and healthy by applying a lip balm regularly leading up to your date. If you’re put off by notions of glossy, fruit-scented sticks, think again – there are plenty of no-shine formulas geared towards men whose lips need a moisture boost.

Kiehl’s Facial Fuel No-Shine Moisturizing Lip Balm 220
Lab Series Pro LS Lip Tech Lip Balm 205
Tom Ford For Men Hydrating Lip Balm 550

BE HANDS ON

Rough, dry hands are an instant turn-off. You may think your body lotion is good enough for your hands, but this is not necessarily the case. Hand creams are formulated with a thicker consistency than body creams, and contain nourishing ingredients such as nut butters and vitamins A and E, for soft, smooth hands that invite intimacy.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturizing Hand Treatment 270
Nivea NourishingCare Hand Cream 34.99
Clarins Super Restorative Hand Cream 705

WEAR A SENSUAL SCENT

Your date won’t be able to resist an incredible scent, so put some thought into your V-Day fragrance choice. You could play it safe with your signature scent, but for those wanting to make more of an impact we recommend a deeper, richer fragrance with notes of cedar, patchouli, oud and even rose. These fragrances are stronger, with more projection, than your day-to-day choice, so simply spray a little on each wrist, followed by a dab on the neck, to prevent fragrance overload.

Bvlgari Man Wood Essence 100ml EDP 1640
Giorgio Armani Code 125ml EDT 1727
YSL M7 Oud Absolu 80ml EDT 1550


Photography: Getty Images
All items subject to availability. Prices may change.

Food made with love is arguably the best gift of all, something author, chef and businesswoman Mogau Seshoene knows too well. Her love for South African cuisine and heritage combined with her fear of being dubbed a lazy daughter-in-law who doesn’t know how to cook turned into a successful business – The Lazy Makoti (the lazy daughter-in-law). She shares with us her recipes from her new book The Lazy Makoti’s Guide To The Kitchen – our Valentine’s Day gift to you. 

THE SALTED CARAMEL AND APPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Serves 8 – 10 | Preparation time: 20 minutes  | Baking time: 1 hour

6 – 8 apples, cored and quartered

Caramel sauce
⅓ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup cream
½ tsp salt

Cake
⅘ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
1½ cups self-raising flour

Preheat oven to 180°. Grease a cake tin and place the apple pieces side by side to cover the base, creating a circular or spiral pattern. In a saucepan, heat butter and add sugar, cream and salt. Stir to dissolve the sugar, bring to a simmer and cook until sauce turns a brownish caramel colour. Pour the caramel over the apples and set aside. To make the cake, place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and combine well. Stir in the vanilla essence and fold in the flour. Spoon the batter over the caramel apples. Bake for one hour until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool and turn upside down onto a plate.

SUMMER BERRY TARTS

Serves 4 | Preparation time: 30 minutes | Baking time: 10 minutes

Pastry
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp castor sugar
½ cup butter, cold
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp cold water

Filling
2 tubs cream cheese
¼ cup honey
3 cups fresh berries (variety of your choice)

Preheat oven to 180°. Grease and prepare a tart dish. To make the pastry: sift flour and castor sugar and, using your fingers, rub in butter until crumbly. Add egg and mix together. Blend in cold water and chill in fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out pastry and cut into squares to cover 4 x 10cm tartlet tins. Line tins, trimming pastry if necessary. Prick pastry with a fork and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely. To make the filling: combine cream cheese and honey in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Pour into prepared pastry cases and top with berries. Tip: if fresh berries are not available, try frozen berries. Defrost before adding to tarts.

PEPPERMINT CRISP CAKE

Preparation time: 20 minutes | Baking time: 30 minutes

Cake
1 cup cake flour
3 heaped Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
¾ cup butter
½ cup castor sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 Tbsp milk

Topping
360g tin of caramel
1 cup cottage cheese
1½ slabs Peppermint Crisp chocolate
Fresh mint leaves to garnish

Preheat oven to 180° and grease a 20cm cake tin. Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and castor sugar, and then add the eggs, vanilla essence and milk. Make a well in the flour mixture and mix in the wet ingredients. Spoon batter into cake tin and bake for 30 minutes until risen and cooked. Allow to cool. For the topping: mix caramel and cottage cheese in a bowl. Grate one bar of chocolate and fold into the caramel mixture. Generously spread caramel topping onto the cake. Decorate with more grated chocolate and mint leaves.

Everything you need to know for your upcoming week

From brutally honest reads, new car launches and tech releases, to series and movie synopses, here’s what’s dropping this month.

Streaming series

Santa Clarita Diet 

(Netflix, first week of February)
Sheila (Drew Barrymore) and Joel (Timothy Olyphant) are husband and wife estate agents who lead an ordinary but dissatisfied life in the L.A. suburb of Santa Clarita with their teenage daughter Abby – until a dramatic change in Sheila’s life sends the family down a road of death and destruction. Expect blood, guts and loads of zippy one-liners! The first season comes to Netflix SA in the first week of the month, while season two has already been commissioned in the US.


Book

The Killer Collective by Barry Eisler 

(1 February)
When a joint FBI and police investigation into an international child pornography ring gets too close to a group of powerful people, sex-crimes detective Livia Lone narrowly survives a hit. Suspecting the FBI itself was behind the attack, Livia reaches out to former marine sniper Dox, and together they assemble a team to tackle the threat. Hopping between Japan, America and France, the group uncovers a series of interconnected conspiracies which seemingly lead straight to the doors of senior US government officials. This fast-paced page-turner is from the pen of New York Times bestselling author Barry Eisler.

Gadget

Gillette Heated Razor

The Heated Razor by Gillette aims to deliver the comfort of a ‘hot-towel’ shave in the traditional personal razor format. A warming bar heats up the shaver head to your preferred temperature in under a second, which the designers say helps contour the face throughout your shave for a more comfortable experience. The waterproof razor also boasts wireless magnetic charging and an ‘Intelligent Heat Safety Control System’. Currently only in the prototype phase, having been launched via Indiegogo at $150 (about R2 100) as a test product, it’ll be interesting to see if it lives up to the hype and the price tag, and whether it ever makes it into mass production.


Motoring

Super Supra

The fifth-generation Toyota Supra – and the first to be produced by Toyota GAZOO Racing – is here! Drawing inspiration from heritage models and the 2000GT sports car, the front-engined, rear-wheel drive racer offers enthusiasts the perfect blend of power, agility and precision handling, thanks to a short wheelbase, wide track and low centre of gravity. The 3.0-litre engine is boosted by a twin-scroll turbocharger, producing 250kW and 500Nm of torque and driving the wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. ‘Launch control’ mode helps the car move from rest to 100km/h in just 4.3 seconds, and an active differential makes the drive more responsive during both acceleration and deceleration. The obligatory Nürburgring Nordschleife testing honed the handling – but it was also tested in the ‘real world’ on roads around the globe. The first GR Supras should arrive in South Africa by mid-April 2019, with pricing still to be confirmed.


Film

Holmes & Watson 

(8 February)
The cast of Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Ralph Fiennes lead a brand-new Sherlock Holmes caper, this month. Detective Sherlock Holmes (Ferrell) and Dr. John Watson (Reilly) join forces to investigate a mysterious murder at Buckingham Palace. All signs seem to point to Professor James Moriarty (Fiennes), the duo’s longtime nemesis. When new twists and clues begin to emerge, the world's greatest sleuth and his trusted assistant must try to catch the killer before the Queen becomes the next victim.


Film

What Men Want 

(22 February)
Passed up for a well-deserved promotion, sports agent Ali Davis (Taraji P. Henson) wonders what more she could possibly do to succeed in a male-dominated industry. Seeking help from a psychic, Ali finds herself with the sudden ability to hear what men are thinking after drinking a strange concoction – and uses her newfound powers to beat her obnoxious male colleagues in the race for basketball’s next superstar. Sound familiar? It’s a modern retelling of the 2000 film What Women Want, starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt.


Game

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown 

(1 February)
Bandai Namco’s cult favourite flight simulator returns with its seventh version, set in the alternate universe of Strangereal. Take your aerial duels to the next level with first-person cockpit or third-person views – with specially-created missions for Playstation VR owners. Expect the trademark political intrigue and glorious Top Gun-level cheese as you pilot some of the world’s most advanced warplanes through photorealistic visuals which deliver intense dog-fighting action, a multitude of authentic and futuristic aircraft to fly, an immersive storyline and even virtual reality!
+- R830 for PS4, Xbox One, PC via www.bandainamcoent.com


By Trevor Crighton